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The term kangaroo it actually encompasses different species of the marsupial subfamily, which have important characteristics in common. Among all the species we can highlight the red kangaroo, since it is the largest marsupial that exists today, with 1.5 meters in height and 85 kg of body weight, in the case of males.
The different species of kangaroo are used in Oceanica and have become the most representative animals in Australia. In them stand out their powerful hind legs as well as their long and muscular tail, through which they can move with surprising leaps.
Another characteristic feature of these animals that arouses great curiosity is the handbag they have in their ventral area. Therefore, in this PeritoAnimal article we will explain to you what is the kangaroo bag for.
What is the marsupium?
The baby carrier is what is popularly known as the kangaroo bag and it is a fold in the skin of this animal that is only present in females, as it covers your breasts forming an epidermal pouch that works as an incubator.
It is a duplication of the skin that is located on the outer ventral wall and, as we will see below, is directly connected with the creation of the offspring of the kangaroo.
What is the marsupium for?
Females give birth practically when it is still in an embryonic state, between 31 and 36 days of gestation approximately. The baby kangaroo only has its arms developed and thanks to them it can move from the vagina to the baby carrier.
Kangaroo spawn goes stay in the bag for approximately 8 months but for 6 months it will periodically go to the baby carrier to continue feeding.
We can define as follows the stock exchange functions of the kangaroo:
- It works as an incubator and allows the full evolution of the offspring's organism.
- Allows the female to breastfeed her offspring.
- When the offspring have developed properly, the kangaroos transport them on the marsupium to defend them from the threat of different predators.
As you may have noticed, this anatomical structure in female kangaroos is not arbitrary, it obeys the peculiarities of the brief gestation of the offspring.
The kangaroo, an endangered species
Unfortunately, the three main kangaroo species (red kangaroo, eastern gray and western gray) are in danger of extinction. mainly due to the effects of global warming, which far from being an abstract concept is a threatening reality for our planet and its biodiversity.
An increase of two degrees Celsius could have a devastating effect on the kangaroo population, and according to various statistics and studies it is estimated that this increase in temperature could occur in the year 2030 and would reduce the distribution area of kangaroos by about 89%.
As always, care for the environment is essential to maintain our planet's biodiversity.
